Daily Bread 2010 - Luke 7
Daily Bread 2010 – Luke 7
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."
40Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
41"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Jesus shows us today that there is no person we will run into that is “below us”. This woman knew her own sinful past, but also had heard that Jesus was open to sinners of all types. The Pharisees also showed how they had missed the point too. In fact, the sinful woman was closer to the type of person he was calling, then the leaders of the day. Why?
Because she knew how far she fell short of God’s glory! She realized how far she had fallen, and brought expensive perfume as an offering of thanks for who she knew and trusted Jesus to be. It is likely because alabaster perfume is so expensive, that this would have represented all she had. (ie. 500 denarii represent a little over a year’s wages!). She was going all in that Jesus was who he said he was!
The sinful woman gives us a good picture of what true worship looks like. True worship is costly. The woman offered a sacrificial gift for the one who would make the ultimate costly sacrifice for her. As we think of this story, how does this woman inspire you to give more of yourself in worship to Jesus? How are you like the woman? How are you like the Pharisees?
Prayer: God help us to understand the true nature of what you have done for us so we can like the woman give all we have in response to what you have done for us. Thank you for forgiving us of all our sins. May we worship you in response to that great gift! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman
36Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. 37When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
39When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner."
40Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
41"Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
43Simon replied, "I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled."
"You have judged correctly," Jesus said.
44Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Jesus shows us today that there is no person we will run into that is “below us”. This woman knew her own sinful past, but also had heard that Jesus was open to sinners of all types. The Pharisees also showed how they had missed the point too. In fact, the sinful woman was closer to the type of person he was calling, then the leaders of the day. Why?
Because she knew how far she fell short of God’s glory! She realized how far she had fallen, and brought expensive perfume as an offering of thanks for who she knew and trusted Jesus to be. It is likely because alabaster perfume is so expensive, that this would have represented all she had. (ie. 500 denarii represent a little over a year’s wages!). She was going all in that Jesus was who he said he was!
The sinful woman gives us a good picture of what true worship looks like. True worship is costly. The woman offered a sacrificial gift for the one who would make the ultimate costly sacrifice for her. As we think of this story, how does this woman inspire you to give more of yourself in worship to Jesus? How are you like the woman? How are you like the Pharisees?
Prayer: God help us to understand the true nature of what you have done for us so we can like the woman give all we have in response to what you have done for us. Thank you for forgiving us of all our sins. May we worship you in response to that great gift! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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